Motor insurance · Claims
How to claim on your car insurance in South Africa, step by step
How to claim car insurance smoothly starts at the scene, not on the claim form. What you do in the first hour and the first working day shapes how the claim goes. Here are the steps, what the law requires of you, and the timelines your insurer has to keep to.
Why the first day after an accident decides so many claims
Most motor claims that end in a dispute turn on what happened at the scene and how the claim was reported, not on the damage itself. The National Financial Ombud Scheme reported that around 40% of its non-life complaints in the 2023 financial year came from motor insurance, most of them accident claims declined because of a policy exclusion, led by lack of due care (especially speeding) and then misrepresentation or non-disclosure (NFO (2023)).
The good news is that most of what protects a claim is simple and within your control. It starts with the steps below.
How to claim car insurance in South Africa, step by step
Follow these seven steps in order. The first four happen at or near the scene; the last three are about the claim itself.
Step 1: Stop and make the scene safe
Section 61 of the National Road Traffic Act requires every driver involved in an accident to stop, check whether anyone is injured, help them as far as reasonably possible and check the damage to vehicles and property (NRTA, s61 (1996)). Put on your hazards and set out a warning triangle if it’s safe.
Step 2: Exchange details, but don’t admit fault
The same section requires you to give your name and address, the owner’s name and address and the registration number to anyone with reasonable grounds to ask. Take the other driver’s details too, including their insurer if they’ll share it. Be polite, but keep to the facts: an innocent remark can end up in a statement or a claim file.
Step 3: Photograph and record everything
Photograph all vehicles from several angles, the number plates, the road, skid marks, signs and traffic lights, and note witnesses’ names and numbers. Arrive Alive publishes a crash investigator’s checklist that starts with the positions of the vehicles, shot from far enough away to show where they came to rest (Arrive Alive (2026)).
Step 4: Report to the police on time
If no police or traffic officer recorded the accident at the scene, report it at a police station or traffic office within 24 hours if anyone was killed or injured, or on the first working day if no one was. Take your driving licence and ID number, and keep the case or accident report number, because insurers commonly ask for it.
Step 5: Notify your insurer or broker
Tell your insurer as soon as you can, within the time limit in your policy. The Policyholder Protection Rules require insurers to tell you what information they need, how to submit a claim, the time limits and any excess or fees (Policyholder Protection Rules, rule 17 (2017)). If your broker is mandated by the insurer to manage claims, a claim the broker receives counts as received by the insurer, which must then acknowledge it with contact details and indicative timelines.
Step 6: Assessment, towing and repairs
The insurer usually arranges an assessment, then authorises repairs or settles the claim, within what your level of cover includes; our third-party vs comprehensive guide explains the difference. Arrive Alive advises using a towing service authorised by your insurer, or asking for a quote before the car is towed if you don’t have tow cover. If repairs would cost more than the car is worth, it may be written off and settled at the value in your policy; our guide to retail, market and trade value explains the difference. You usually pay the excess, which the rules say must be disclosed, fair and reasonable.
Step 7: The decision, and what to do if you disagree
The insurer must decide within a reasonable period and tell you in writing within 10 days of deciding. If it rejects the claim, it must give reasons and at least 90 days for you to respond, set out below.
Even with the steps right, a few avoidable mistakes can still put a claim at risk.
Common mistakes that put a claim at risk
Road-safety guidance and ombud cases point to the same avoidable mistakes: admitting fault, reporting late and getting the facts wrong. Arrive Alive’s guidance on what not to say at the scene is blunt:
“Most insurers prohibit statements of admission, offer, promise, payment or indemnity.”Arrive Alive, Legal duties after a collision and road crash
- Admitting liability or settling privately. Many policies require the insurer’s consent before you admit fault or agree to pay the other driver.
- Reporting late. Policies set notification time limits. The NFO has said that rejecting a claim for late notification “may not always be fair and reasonable”, especially where the insurer can’t show the delay caused material prejudice (NFO (2026)), but reporting promptly avoids the argument.
- Getting the facts wrong. In one ruling the NFO summarised, an insurer relied on speed data from the claimant’s own tracker, and the NFO warned that a version of events found to be untrue can give the insurer a further reason to decline (NFO (2026)).
- Assuming any careless driving voids cover. The NFO notes that many insurers still approve claims where driving was negligent, but automatically reject on evidence of reckless driving, and it has argued that all the circumstances should be considered (NFO (2026)).
- Using an unauthorised tow truck. Towing and storage charges from an operator your insurer didn’t authorise can be disputed.
If you’ve avoided these, the rest of the process runs on fixed timelines.
How long does a car insurance claim take to settle?
An insurer must decide within a reasonable period, after a reasonable investigation, and notify you in writing within 10 days of the decision. The Policyholder Protection Rules then set clear limits if the answer is no:
| Stage | What the rules require |
|---|---|
| Deciding | Within a reasonable period, after a reasonable investigation |
| Telling you | In writing, within 10 days of the decision |
| If rejected | Reasons, at least 90 days for you to make representations, the internal escalation process and the ombud’s details |
| Your representations | The insurer must decide on them within 45 days |
| Time bar for legal action | Can’t include the 90 days, and must allow at least 6 months after them |
Insurers also may not discourage you from using an attorney or assessor, and may not reject a claim based only on a polygraph test. Claims history is also one of the factors insurers commonly weigh at renewal, as our guide to how premiums are calculated explains. If you disagree with a rejection, our guide to rejected claims and the National Financial Ombud walks through the next steps. All of this concerns damage to vehicles and property; injuries follow a different route.
If someone was injured: the Road Accident Fund
Claims for injury or death caused by a road accident in South Africa usually go to the Road Accident Fund, not your car insurer (Road Accident Fund Act, s17 (1996)). Where the identity of the driver or owner is known, a claim against the Fund prescribes three years after the cause of action arose (Road Accident Fund Act, s23 (1996)). Report the accident to the police within 24 hours and keep the case number and medical records.
Your claim document checklist
Insurers commonly ask for the documents below, and your insurer will tell you exactly what it needs. Tick off what you have; your progress is saved in this browser.
For the wider claims picture across home and business cover as well as motor, see our complete insurance claims guide and the claims help page.
Car insurance claim FAQs
General answers about claiming on car insurance in South Africa. Your policy wording sets the specific rules for your claim.
How long do I have to report a car accident to the police?
Under section 61 of the National Road Traffic Act, if the accident wasn’t reported to a police or traffic officer at the scene, you must report it at a police station or traffic office within 24 hours if anyone was killed or injured. If no one was hurt, report it on the first working day after the accident.
How soon must I tell my insurer about a claim?
Your policy sets the deadline, so check your wording. Many policies ask you to notify the insurer as soon as reasonably possible. Insurers must tell you their time limits for claims.
What documents do I need for a car insurance claim?
Insurers commonly ask for a completed claim form, your driving licence, the police case or accident report number, photographs, the other driver’s details, witness details, and repair quotes if requested. Your insurer must tell you what information it needs and how to submit it.
Do I pay the excess if the accident wasn’t my fault?
It depends on your policy. Many insurers deduct the excess from the claim and may try to recover it, along with their own costs, from the other driver or their insurer. Ask your insurer how it handles excess when the other party is at fault.
How long does an insurer have to decide on my claim?
The Policyholder Protection Rules require the insurer to decide within a reasonable period and to tell you in writing within 10 days of the decision. If it rejects the claim, it must give reasons and allow at least 90 days for you to make representations.
What can I do if my car insurance claim is rejected?
You have at least 90 days to ask the insurer to reconsider. The insurer must decide on your representations within 45 days. You can also escalate through its internal complaints process and then to the National Financial Ombud Scheme.
Does car insurance pay for injuries in an accident?
Car insurance mainly deals with damage to vehicles and property. Claims for injury or death in road accidents in South Africa usually go through the Road Accident Fund, subject to its rules.
Need help with a claim?
Questions about a car insurance claim or your cover? Contact Best Care. Claims remain subject to the insurer’s assessment and the final policy documents.
This article is general education, not personal financial or legal advice. Legal requirements are summarised from the National Road Traffic Act, the Road Accident Fund Act and the Policyholder Protection Rules (Short-term Insurance), with guidance from Arrive Alive and the National Financial Ombud Scheme, as checked in October 2026. Claim procedures, time limits, excesses and exclusions differ between policies and are governed by the policy schedule and wording. Best Care Insurance Brokers CC, registration 1992/100995/23, Authorised FSP 8754. See the FAIS disclosure.